Martin Sofie would no doubt love the way his family chose to honor his memory. I wrote about the Marysville man with the big personality when he died in 2006.
Here’s what I wrote after his death: “Neighbor kids were getting ready to teach their buddy, Martin Sofie, how to ride a skateboard
. They enjoyed hanging around his carport, learning how to play street hoops and hit a baseball.”
Kids said he was a cool old guy.
Their friend was 92.
Neighbor after neighbor signed a huge banner after Sofie died on his birthday, Aug. 18 of that year, of heart failure.
Sofie had friends everywhere: his “boys” at a morning Safeway coffee klatch, a golf course, the Elks Clubs, football tailgate parties and a veterans group in Lynnwood.
His daughter, Carolyn Barkley, says the family placed a bench at Chetzemoka Park in Port Townsend. Her father was born in 1914 in Port Townsend, the second youngest of 16 children.
The bench was something his family knew Sofie would appreciate, Barkley says. The family has a huge reunion there every summer.
“That’s where dad played as a kid,” Barkley says.
***
The “organ lady” will present a new program Monday to youngsters at Tulalip Elementary School.
Colleen Williams, the organ lady, says the “Body Buddy” program addresses physical activity, nutrition, bullying, racism, mental health and substance use, encouraging students to make good choices in their lives.
“Since 42 percent of youth already have positive attitudes about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by the time they are 10 years old, we are targeting low-income schools with diverse populations with our limited funding because of higher substance rates and health disparities in these groups,” she says.
The Everett Clinic Employee Giving Fund, Tulalip Tribes and Nysether Family Foundation provided funding. At the end of the program, children who want to make the best choices possible in life stand, raise their right hand, and take a Body Buddy Pledge to receive a pledge card.
Information is provided for students to take home to help educate their families about issues such as secondhand smoke, addiction and mental health.
It’s named “Body Buddy” because kids are pledging to be a good buddy to themselves, Williams says. For more information, visit www.choiceandconsequence.org.
***
Students at Marysville-Pilchuck High School are planning several events. Hoops for Hope, to benefit special needs students, is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the school. It costs $8 or $5 for students.
Macho Volleyball features the best teams in the district. It’s planned for 7 p.m. March 4 at the school. Tickets are $8 or $5 for students. Money raised goes to the winner’s charity of choice.
They also are planning a coin drive that begins Monday to benefit medical expenses of Kayla Healy, who has cystic fibrosis.
The school is located at 5611 108th St. NE in Marysville.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com
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